The number of Olympians among the ranks of the Volvo Extreme 40 class was bolstered today with the announcement that a boat skippered by Carolijn BROUWER, former Volvo Ocean Race yachtswoman, has joined the entry list.

TornadoSport, the class management, has provided the boat for the Netherlands' BROUWER, who will compete under the Volvo Ocean Race banner.

BROUWER sailed in the last Volvo Ocean Race onboard the all-woman entry Amer Sports Too and since then has competed at the Olympic Games in Athens before teaming up with Olympic silver medallist Sebastien GODEFROID from Belgium to embark on an Olympic Tornado campaign.

BROUWER, the first female Volvo Extreme 40 skipper, is now joined by GODEFROID, as well as Emma WESTMACOTT (GBR), fellow former Volvo Ocean Race yachtswoman, who will be a guest crew member as well as part of the project management team. WESTMACOTT was also on board Amer Sports Too in 2001-2002.

Each of the three boats that have been announced so far will have Olympic sailors competing onboard. Sailing on Conrad HUMPHREYS' Motorola-CHR is Leigh MCMILLAN from Great Britain, who competed in the Tornado in Athens and was recently a runner up at the Worlds, along with fellow countryman and Olympic Tornado sailor Will HOWDEN. Lining up against them on Team Holmatro, will be double Olympic medallist Mitch BOOTH (NED), who will be competing with his Olympic team mate and triple World Champion Herbert DERCKSEN.

BROUWER commented, 'The concept of the Volvo Extreme 40 is terrific. The challenge is tailor made for me and I look forward to doing battle with so many highly experienced and successful sailors. It will also be great to catch up with some familiar faces in the Volvo Ocean Race village.'

The Volvo Extreme 40 class will race in five stopover ports; Sanxenxo Spain; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Baltimore/Annapolis, USA; Portsmouth, Great Britain and; Rotterdam, Netherlands. They have been introduced to the Volvo Ocean Race to add spectacle to the entertainment package for stopover crowds.

Five Volvo Extreme 40's will be due in Sanxenxo from the 4 November with racing taking place in the bay from the 6-10 November. To date there are entries from Team Holmatro, Motorola-CHR and Team Volvo Ocean Race. The announcement of two further boats will be made shortly.

For a complete list of all the news about the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006 CLICK HERE.

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